Event Title

Presenter Information

Location

Diamond 221

Start Date

1-5-2014 9:00 AM

End Date

1-5-2014 3:00 PM

Project Type

Presentation- Restricted to Campus Access

Description

For my research topic, I will be exploring the locker room. More specifically, I will be examining Colby Colleges existing locker room and shower facility for female student-athletes, in particular, the Womens Track & Field team. I will be examining how female athletes interact with each other within the open and rectangular layout of the locker room and shower space to consider whether or not the space exacerbates body image issues and eating disorders. The very nature of changing and showering in an open space necessarily exposes team members to viewing vastly different body types and can create great stress and anxiety for those concerned with their physical appearance. Indeed, there is little opportunity to hide within the two spaces and the process may become uncomfortable instead of creating a feeling of communitas within the team dynamic. Do the locker room and shower automatically make a participant compare herself to another athlete simply because she is undressed? How does she view her own body after such an encounter? Why do some athletes feel the need to change as quickly as possible, while others love dancing around the locker room naked? Does the fact that an athlete is expected to be in good shape add to the anxiety for those too thin or too big?

Faculty Sponsor

Ben Lisle

Sponsoring Department

Colby College. American Studies Program

CLAS Field of Study

Interdisciplinary Studies

Event Website

http://www.colby.edu/clas

ID

602

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May 1st, 9:00 AMMay 1st, 3:00 PM

Anxiety in the Locker Room: The Effect of the Locker Room on Self-Image and Community for Colby College's Female Student-Athletes

Diamond 221

For my research topic, I will be exploring the locker room. More specifically, I will be examining Colby Colleges existing locker room and shower facility for female student-athletes, in particular, the Womens Track & Field team. I will be examining how female athletes interact with each other within the open and rectangular layout of the locker room and shower space to consider whether or not the space exacerbates body image issues and eating disorders. The very nature of changing and showering in an open space necessarily exposes team members to viewing vastly different body types and can create great stress and anxiety for those concerned with their physical appearance. Indeed, there is little opportunity to hide within the two spaces and the process may become uncomfortable instead of creating a feeling of communitas within the team dynamic. Do the locker room and shower automatically make a participant compare herself to another athlete simply because she is undressed? How does she view her own body after such an encounter? Why do some athletes feel the need to change as quickly as possible, while others love dancing around the locker room naked? Does the fact that an athlete is expected to be in good shape add to the anxiety for those too thin or too big?